A common type of combined package and dispenser for flexible consumer articles such as different kinds of wipes is a rectangular cardboard box in which the wipes are arranged in a likewise rectangular stack of sheets which can be removed from the box through a dispensing opening provided in the top surface of the box. The rectangular box shape is excellent with regard to stackability and economy of space during storage and transport. Moreover, as it can be safely stood on a countertop or a shop shelf resting on any one of its rectangular surfaces, it works very well as a stable and reliable package and dispenser.
However, a combined package and dispenser has numerous functions. It serves as an information bearing medium conveying information about the contents in the package and it provides protection, containment and dispensing of the consumer articles inside the package/dispenser. While placed on a shop shelf, it is desirable that as large an area of the package as possible may be exposed to a viewer of the package in order to convey information allowing determination of the type of article contained in the package, the brand of the article, the number of articles in the package and other information of relevance to a viewer such as a shop assistant or a presumptive buyer. However, bulky or oddly shaped containers which take up a proportionally large space on a shop shelf or during storage and transport and which cannot be efficiently stacked are not appreciated by the retail business.
Some examples of packages that may present a relatively larger exposed surface than a conventional rectangular box are disclosed in US 2006/0144909 A1, US 2008/0054012 A1 and FR 2 869 882 A1. All these packages have rounded surfaces allowing improved exposure of information printed on the packages. However, the prior art packages suffer from the drawback that they cannot accommodate conventional rectangular stacks of wipes or other sheet material without considerable distortion of the stack configuration. Moreover, the prior art packages cannot be stacked in a space conserving and stable manner.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved combined package and dispenser for stackable articles having good display properties as well as containment and dispensing functions.